Teaching Online as a Freelancer
30-Hour Specialized Online TEFL / TESOL Certificate



Ready to be your own boss? Learn the business skills to chart your own path as an independent English teacher!
In this course, you’ll learn the business and marketing skills needed to successfully launch and run your freelance online English teaching career. You’ll master key components of freelance teaching, such as finding your niche, promoting your brand through teacher marketplaces, social media, and other channels, handling accounting and other logistics, and managing and scaling your business in a competitive market. The course culminates with a final project in which you’ll apply what you’ve learned to design a unique online tutoring business plan.
We recommend this course for experienced online teachers or graduates of our Teaching English Online Certification courses who are ready to advance their careers – on their own terms – as freelancers. If you’re new to online teaching, bundle this specialization with those certification courses and save!
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30-Hour
Teaching English Online as a Freelancer
Learn the practical business skills you need to become an independent teacher!
Bundle and save!
150-Hour
Teaching English Online Certification + Practicum
Gain a foundation in teaching English online before learning about teaching as a freelancer.
- 60-Hour Foundations in Teaching English Online
- 60-Hour Advanced Methods in Teaching English Online
- 30-Hour Teaching English Online as a Freelancer
This bundle includes:
Want to explore our full suite of Teaching English Online certificates?
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Teaching Online as a Freelancer
Course Features
Practical Experience Creating a Detailed Business Plan
- Apply the business management and marketing skills you’ve learned throughout the course in a practical way by developing a detailed business plan to kick start your career as a freelance tutor!
Interactive Platform:
Tutor and Discussion Board
- Interact with your personal tutor who provides feedback on assignments and answers questions throughout the course. Share ideas and experiences with other trainees around the world on the class discussion board.

Dynamic Content
- Complete interactive exercises and practice activities that check comprehension and keep you actively engaged with the course content as you progress through your training.
Bridge's Best in Class Experience
100% online
Start anytime and work from any device.
Continuing education units
Earn up to 3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Personal tutor
Get feedback and ask questions throughout the course.
Job placement assistance
Access our global job network via the Bridge Job Board and connect with preferred employer partners.
Flexible schedule
Work at your own pace - complete in as little as 3 weeks!
Interactive content
Instructional videos, downloadable resources, quizzes & activities, and discussion board.
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Teaching Online as a Freelancer Course Information
Length | 12 weeks | |
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Start date | The course starts the day you enroll. | |
Certification hours | 30 hours | |
Price |
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Format | 100% online and self-paced. | |
Language requirements | B1 CEFR level; proof of language proficiency is not required. (See Requirements below for more details.) | |
Instructors | Personal tutor (experienced ESL/EFL instructor) to grade assignments and provide support. | |
CEUs available | 3 CEUs. (Learn more about earning CEUs below.) | |
Get answers to common course questions |
Module 01 | Finding Your Niche |
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Module 02 | Time Zones, Payments, & Platforms |
Module 03 | Marketing and Promotion |
Module 04 | Troubleshooting and the Entrepreneurial Mindset |
4
Module Quizzes
4
Instructional videos
1
Assignment
8
Resource downloads
8
Discussion Board Activities
Learning Objectives
When you complete your course, you’ll be able to:
- Compare different market niches, determine the right one for you, and find students within that target demographic
- Establish which online teaching platform and software will best suit your goals
- Develop a social media marketing plan on your chosen platform(s) and create an advertising budget
- Create engaging graphic content and videos to market your services
- Develop pricing strategies, profit and loss statements, and cancellation and refund policies
- Examine the importance of cash flow and apply strategies to help avoid common problems with it
- Understand the shift in mindset required to successfully transition from employee to entrepreneur
- Apply strategies to manage, scale, and pivot your online teaching business
- And more!
These resources are designed to make the process of finding TEFL jobs or advancing in the field as clear and easy as possible for our graduates. You’ll learn how to improve your resume, find and apply to TEFL jobs, and ace your interview so that you can get the teaching job of your dreams. If you’re already teaching, you’ll find helpful information on continuing professional development, recommended TESOL organizations you can join, and teaching resources you can use in your own classroom. You’ll also learn how to take advantage of Bridge’s job placement services and connect to our community of TEFL teachers and schools worldwide.
Module 01 | Finding a Job, Downloading Your Certificate, and Updating Your Resume |
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Module 02 | Stay Connected with Bridge! |
Module 03 | TEFL / TESOL Professional Development Opportunities |
Age | 18 years of age or older. |
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Language | An intermediate or higher level of English proficiency (B1 level, according to the CEFR, the Common European Framework Reference for Language). Proof of language proficiency is not required. |
Experience | Previous English language teaching experience or a general TEFL / TESOL certificate (recommended)* |
Technology | Internet access with the ability to stream and watch videos. Access to desktop/laptop computer highly recommended. |
*Students can simultaneously enroll in a Professional TEFL / TESOL Course to meet this recommendation.
Continuing Education Unit (CEUs) are nationally recognized units of measurement for participation in non-credit, continuing education programs. Bridge is accredited by ACCET (the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training), and any ACCET-approved Bridge course, including our online TEFL programs, can be taken for 1 CEU per 10 hours of TEFL course instruction.
Learn moreThe Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is the regulator of qualifications, examinations and assessments in England and the regulator of vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland.
Bridge courses have been similarly reviewed and recommended for university credit equivalencies by The American Council on Education (ACE Credit) and many university partners. Bridge is a post-secondary institution accredited by ACCET (recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) and AQUEDUTO (Association for Quality Education and Training Online). Our certifications are regulated by our accrediting agencies, and we ensure that the targeted knowledge, skills, and outcomes are addressed through depictive course assessments. Further, we are committed to making sure that our learners have a positive experience from start to finish and that our programs prepare modern teachers for career success.
To learn more about Bridge’s accreditation and university credit opportunities, please review the following chart. Please note that Ofqual equivalencies are equated to the university credit recommendations provided by the American Council on Education (ACE Credit®) and our university partners.
OFQUAL
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BRIDGE COURSES AND HOURS | UNIVERSITY EQUIVALENCEY & CREDIT BEARING DETAILS |
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Level 7 |
IDELTOnline™(International Diploma in English Language Teaching)150 hours |
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Level 6 |
Master TEFL Certificate120 Hours |
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Level 5 |
Specialized Certificates(20-60 hours) |
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Level 4 |
Micro-Credentials(10-30 hours) |
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